Message of the Mountain

Message of the Mountain is a Christian fiction written by Matilda Nordtvedt. The book has 135 pages with 30 chapters. The story takes place in Bellingham, Washington in the early 1900s.It was settled, the Johnsons were relocating to Bellingham, Washington; since Papa cannot sustain the work in the country. John liked the idea of moving to the city, but Hilda and Lois were not so thrilled. Their house in Bellingham was modern, and John was delighted. From the window, you could see the magnificent Mount Baker. Papa and Hilda started talking about how Mount Baker was like God, making John feel awkward. The girls were a bit worried going to school even with John’s encouragement. After class, John’s classmate, Marvin, led him to the railroad tracks where he got him to smoke a cigarette brought by a fifth-grader named Pete. As they parted, John ran home in dismay, anxious that his parents might find out. When he got home, John saw Mama chopping down some onions, so he ate a piece to take the smell of the cigarette out. John felt guilty for smoking, but thought that at least he did something to please his father by chopping down some wood.

There are some lessons that can be picked up from Message of the Mountain. One is about learning to accept change, because change is the only thing permanent in our lives. Everything changes in this world, so there is no way to resist it anyways. Another is that we should learn to say no. Saying no to wrong things will always be the right thing to do even if doing so means losing everything. Lastly, we should not lie, because lying could lead to broken trust and relationship.

“I don’t think we have to worry about bears and ghosts, Lois. God protects us from other things we meet each day and accidents maybe, and especially from evil.” That was what Mama told Lois. It means that...